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1. L.WARNER.

VIOLIN PIANO. APPLICATION FI IED OCT- 7, 1918.

1 ,309,004;. Patented J uIy 8, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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1. L. WARNER;

VIOLIN PIANO.

APPLICATION FILED OCT- 7, 1918.

1,309,004, Patented July 8,1919. v

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- Slumhtoz 51 than 'rnl Comma PLANOGIAIN cln WASHINGTON. D. c.

J. L. WARNER.

VIOLIN PIANO. APPLICATION FILED OCT- 7, 1918.

1 309,004. Patented July 8, 1919.

3 SHEETS -SHEET 3- @Ivweutoz,

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JAMES L. WABiN'ER, 0F GIRARD, KANSAS.

VIOLIN-PIANO.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 8, 1919.

Application filed October 7, 1918. Serial No. 257,176.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES L. WARNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Girard, in the county of Crawford and State of Kansas, have invented a new and useful Violin-Piano, of which the following is a specification.

The subject of this invention is a violin piano combination.

The main object of the invention is the provision of means for supplying rosin to the vibrators;

Another object of the invention is the provision of means for forcing the vibrators against the strings.

Another object of the invention is the provision of means for drawing the vibrators away from the strings without twanging the strings.

Another object of the invention is the provision of means for lubricating the parts.

The invention also contemplates generally improving the construction and enhancing the utility of a violin piano combination.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

A practical structure for carrying out the invention is illustrated in the accompanying? drawings, wherein igure 1 is a fragmentary view in side elevation, partly in section, of a piano action constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, parts shown in section;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view in side elevation, parts in section, of the vibrator and its associated parts Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail plan view of the same;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view in elevation, parts in section, of a belt guiding roller;

. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail view in elevation, partly in section, of the connection between the piano action and the vibrator controlling lever.

Referring to the drawings by numerals of reference 2- The instrument is provided with the usual key board or support 1, on which are fulcrumed the piano keys 2, only one of which is shown. The rear ends of the keys 2 have pivotal connection with the lower ends of the vertically disposed abstracts or pushrods 3. The abstracts 3 are connected by links 4 to a horizontally arranged supporting rail 5 which is arranged transversely of the instrument. The links 4 serve to guide the abstracts 3 and to retain them in proper position.

The upper ends of the abstracts 3 are operatively connected to the wippens 6, which are pivotally supported by the flange 7, secured to the horizontally disposed bar 8, which is arranged transversely of the instrument. The hammers 9 and dampers 10 are also pivotally secured to the bar 8, and are actuated by the rocking of the wippens 6.

For the purpose of moving the vibrators into contact with the violin strings, a link 11 is pivotally connected to the keyboard. end of each lever 6, and each link is provided, with a notch 12 which is adapted to take over a pin 13 which spans the bifurcated lower end of a lever 14:.

Each lever 1a is fulcrumed between its ends to a supporting bar 15, which is arranged horizontally, and extends transversely of the instrument. The upper end of each lever 14 is apertured to receive the threaded end of a rod 16, which rod may be adjusted by the hemispherical nuts 17, which are threaded on the rod and engage opposite faces of the lever 1 1. The other or rear end of each rod 16 is provided with an eye for the reception of the angled end of a rod 18.

Each rod 18 extends rearwardly from its rod 16, and in line therewith, and passes through apertures formed in the front and rear metal plates 40 and 38, respectively, and in the sounding board 39, which is interposed between the metal plates. On the rearwardly projecting end of each rod 18 is rigidly secured a U-shaped member 19, the

rearwardly extending arms of which are inclined laterally and pass, with a sliding fit, through guide blocks 20.

The guide blocks 20 are mounted on the arms of U-shaped brackets 21, which are secured to the transverse horizontal supporting bar 22, to which they are secured by screw bolts 28 or the like. It is to be noted that the arms of the U-shaped brackets 21 project forwardly, and that the brackets are offset from their respective U-shaped members 19, so that, as the U-shapedmembers 19 are forced rearwardly they will also be moved laterally.

Mounted for rotation within each U- shaped member 19, is a vibrator 24, which is rigid on ashaft 25, one end of which is stepped in a cup 26, which cup is formed on one arm-of the member 19, and the other end of which is cupped, as at 27, to receive a bearing pin 28, which extends inwardly from the other arm of the member 19. These cups, 26 and 27, are adapted to receive lubricant and so keep the parts properly lubricated and 'make the running thereof practically noiseless.

The vibrators 2% are adapted to be rotated by a belt 29, with which they contact when forced rearwardly to operative position, and the belt 29 passes about pulleys 42, which are journaled in brackets 43, secured to the casing ll of the instrument. The belt 29 is driven through the rotation of one of the pulleys 42 by any suitable source of power, not shown.

To guide the belt 29 and retain it in proper position to firmly engage the vibrators 24, rollers 30 are mounted to engage the flight of the belt which engages the Vibrators on that face opposite to that engaged by the vibrators. The rollers 30are rigid on shafts 31, the lower ends of which are stepped in cups'32, and the upper ends of which are cupped to receive the bearing pins The cups 32 and pins extend inwardly from opposed faces of the arms of U-shapedbrackets 34-. The braekets'i l are likewisesecured to the support 22 by means of screw bolts orthe like.

The violin strings*85, which are sounded by thevi brators 24k are strung on a rear metal plate 38, which is held inplaceby the supports37. Themetal plate 38 is positionedto'the rear of the sounding board 89, in front of which is the usual metal plate 40 on which are strung the piano strings 41.

In order that the violin strings may be properly dampened and undue prolongation of the sounding thereof prevented, each U shaped member 19 is formed with a dependingiinger 45, the lower end of which has pivotal engagement with one end of a lever 46, which is fulcrnmed between its ends on abracketextending from a horizontally disposed transverse supporting bar 47. The ends of the lever 46 are provided with pads of felt or the like which engage and dampen the strings.

Supports l8, only one of which is shown, may be provided, and secured to any suitable portion of the instrument, and in each support is adjustably held a block of rosin 4:9,

which engages the belt 29 to deposit rosin thereon which will be communicated from the belt to the vibrators. By this means the necessity of providing a separate block of rosinfor each vibrator is avoided.

The operation of the device is as follows:

The belt 29 being in motion, through the rotation of one of the pulleys 4E2, a key 2 of the piano is struck. This causes an upward movement of the abstract 3 and rocks the wippin 6 to withdraw the damper 10 from the strings 41 of the piano, and actuate the hammer 9 to strike the string from which the damper has been withdrawn. The move ment of the wippen 6 will also, through the link 11, cause the lever '14: to rockupon its fulcrum and force the upper end of the lever rearwardly and, through the rod 16 and rod 18, move the U-shaped member 19.

This movement of the U-shaped member will be guided slightly laterally by the guide blocks20. This will cause the vibrator 24. to approach the string 35 fromone sideand at an angle so that it will engage the string firmly and fully without brushing across "the string in its approach. Thefact that the vibrator engages the string from one side, and that sidethe one toward which the belt is running, will cause the belt to keep the vibrator in firm contact with the string.

The rearward movement ofthe U-shaped member 19 will cause a simultaneous movement of the finger 45, which will rock the lever 46 and release the dampers from the string. VVhenthe vibrator is in contactwith the string, it will also engage the belt 29 which, being in motion, will cause the vibrator to rotate a'mlvibrate the string The parts are returned to normal positions by the weight of the piano action.

Ilavingdescribed my invention, what I claim as new, is

1. In a violin-piano havinga-string'and a piano action; a U-shaped DIGITIbQPSHP- ported adjacent the string, a vibrator mounted for rotation in the U-shaped me1nber, means actuated by the operation of the piano action for forcing the U-shapedmember rearwardly, means for guiding the U-shaped member laterally, as it is forced rearwardly, to bring the vibrator against the string, and means for rotating the vibrator.

2. In a violin-piano having a string and a. piano actionyof a U'shaped"membersupported adjacent the string and havinglaterally inclined arms, guides for the arms, means actuated by the operation of the piano action to force the U-shaped member rearwardly, the guides guiding said member laterally as it is forced rearwardly, a vibrator mounted for rotation in the U- shaped member, and a movable belt engaging the vibrator when the U-shaped member is moved rearWardly to rotate the vibrator.

3. A violin-piano having a string and a piano action; of a member supported adjacent the string, a vibrator carried by said member and mounted for rotation, means actuated by the operation of the piano action for forcing the said member rear- Wardly, means for rotating the vibrator, and means for guiding the member laterally as it is moved rearWardly to bring the vibrator against the string.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

JAMES L. WARNER.

Witnesses:

WALTER H. POTTER, D. C. DECKER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Gommissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

